Uncoupling device



S. CAMPBELL.

UNCOUPLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10.1919.

Patented Oct. 28,1919.

2 SHEETSHEET 2 IWVENTOR A ifiampbefi.

ATTORNEY.

STERLING H. CAMPBELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

UNCOUPLING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28 1919.

Application filed February 10, 1919. Serial No. 275,942.

To all whom it may concern: 2

Be it known that I, STERLING H. CAMP- BELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful Uncoupling Device, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an uncoupling device such as is used to operate the coupler pin of a vertical plane coupler to release the knuckle.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the class referred to which will be as simple as possible in construction and which at the same time will be efficient in operation and not liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a releasing device made in accord ance with my invention together with a portion of a railway car to which the same is applied, Figure 1 is a top plan view, Fig. 2, is an elevation, F 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 41 is a section taken on the line l-4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 41, Fig. 6 is an elevation showing a slightly modified form of lever and pivot bracket and Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6. i

10 indicates the end wall of a railway car carrying the end sill 11.. Secured to the end sill 11 is a striking block 12. Sliding in the striking block 12 is a draw bar 13 carrying the coupler head 14. 15 is the coupler pin provided at its upper end with an eye 16 and is adapted to release the knuckle 17. All of the above mentioned parts may be of any usual and well known construction.

20 is the operating lever which is provided at its outer end with a handle 21 preferably inclined downwardly at a slight angle. The lever is pivoted at or near its central part to the lower edge of the end sill 11 by means of a pivot bracket 22 as will be more fully hereinafter described. The handle portion 21 of the lever 20 is preterably bent outwardly as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings so as to lie outside of the face of the end sill. 11. The lever 20 is provided with an outwardly extending portlon 23 ad jacent to the pivot bracket 22 so as to clear the brake staff 24:. Beyond the outwardly entending portion 23 the lever is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined part 25 terminating in a cylindrical horizontal portion 26 projecting through the eye 16 of the coupler pin and terminating in a return bend 27 The pivot bracket 22 is secured to the lower edge of the end sill 11 by means of bolts or lag screws 30 and is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting arms 31. The distance between the arms 31 is slightly greater than the width of the lever 20 and the said arms are provided at their lower ends with enlarged portions 321 through which passes a bolt 33 for supporting the lever 20 between said arms. The bolt 33 is provided with a nut 34: which may be locked in position by means of a cotter pin 36 passing through an opening in the bolt. The lever 20 is provided with a recess 37 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings to receive the bolt 33. The edges of the re ccss 37 form stops 38 adapted to contact with the bolt to limit the longitudinal movement of the lever. In order to allow the necessary lateral movement of the lever to accommodate the longitudinal movement of the draw bar 13, I provide the opposing inner sides of the arms 31 with curved faces 39 as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. To limit the vertical rocking movement of the lever 20 and thus prevent its coming in Contact with the lower edge of the end. sill 11, I provide the portion of the bracket 22 between the arms 31 with a curved face 410 as best shown in Fig. 41.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings I have shown a slight modification In this modification, the bracket 22 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5 except that the arms 31 are made somewhat longer so as to accommodate the full width of the lever 20, between the bolt 33 and face 40, as in this form the recess 37 is omitted from the lever. The longitudinal movement of the lever is limited by means of stops 4:1 pressed out from the material of the lever and adapted to strike against the sides of the arms 31.

Having fully described 'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. I11 an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with the coupling pin at its inner ends, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said member passes to prevent lateral tipping of the lever in a vertical plane, and a pivot member carried by said bracket and bearing against the lower edge of said lever.

2. In an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with the coupling pin at its inner ends, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said member passes to prevent lateral tipping of the lever in a vertical plane, and a removable pivot member carried by said bracket and bearing against the lower edge of said lever.

3. I11 an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with the coupling pin at its inner ends, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said member passes to prevent lateral tipping of the lever in a vertical plane, the space between the arms of said bracket being greater at the edges than along the central vertical line.

In an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with a coupling pin at its inner end, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said lever passes to prevent lateral tipping of the lever in a vertical plane, said lever having a recess in its lower edge, a removable pivot member carried by said bracket and bearing against the lower edge of said lever in said recess.

5. In an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with a coupling pin at its inner end, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said lever passes to prevent lateral tipping in a vertical plane, and a stop carried by said bracket and engaging directly with the upper edge of the lever to limit the vertical movement of the latter.

6. In an uncoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with a coupling pin at its inner end, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said lever passes to prevent lateral tipping in a vertical plane,

and a stop integral with said bracket and engaging directly with the upper edge of the lever to limit the vertical movement of the latter.

7. In an imcoupling device, a one piece lever engaging directly with a coupling pin at its inner end, a bifurcated bracket between the arms of which said lever passes to prevent lateral tipping in a vertical plane, and a stop integral with said bracket and engaging with the upper edge of said lever to limit the vertical movement of the latter, the distance between said stop and lever when the latter is in horizontal position being less along the center line of the stop than at the edges.

8. In an uncoupling device, the combination with a one piece lever operating by vertical movement to throw a coupler knuckle, a pivot bracket situated below the end sill of a car and carrying said lever, the vertical movement of said lever being limited by contact directly with the pivot bracket to prevent contact of the lever with the end sill, said bracket permitting movement of the lever in a substantially horizontal plane to accommodate the movement of the coupler head, and stops on said lever cooperating with the bracket to limit the longitudinal movement of the lever.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal.

STERLING H. CAMPBELL. [Ii-M} Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. G. 

